Many aspects of modern society require the availability of modern communication systems through which to communicate data. Data is communicated pursuant to effectuation of data communication services. Many different types of communication services are effectuated through the use of many varied types of communication systems.
Due to scientific discoveries and technological advancements, new types of communication systems have been conceived, developed, and deployed. Increased amounts of data are able to be communicated at increased rates, sometimes in manners, and at locations, at which such communications previously had been impractical.
Technological advancements include advancements in digital communication technologies, and many communication systems make use of digital communication techniques in their operation. The use of digital communication techniques generally permits improved communication efficiencies. Additionally, the data, once digitized, can be communicated during discrete intervals.
A radio communication system is an exemplary type of communication system. In a radio communication system, radio communication channels are defined and are used upon which to communicate data. Many radio communication systems utilize digital communication techniques in which data that is communicated upon the radio communication channels are in digital form, or placed in digital form, prior to their communication upon the radio communication channels. Use of digital communication techniques in radio communication systems is particularly advantageous due to the bandwidth limitations regularly associated with radio communications and the allocations of radio bandwidth thereto.
Installation and use of a radio communication system provides various advantages over a wire line counterpart. Costs associated with the initial installation and deployment of a radio communication system are generally less than the corresponding costs required initially to install and to deploy a wire line counterpart. Additionally, a radio communication system is amenable for implementation as a mobile communication system. In a mobile communication system, communication mobility is provided to one, or more, of the communication stations operable therein.
A cellular communication system is a type of radio communication system. Cellular communication systems have been widely deployed and have achieved significant levels of usage. The network infrastructures of cellular communication systems have been installed to encompass many of the populated areas of the world. Usage of cellular communication systems to communicate telephonically therethrough is increasing. Both the numbers of users and the levels of usage of cellular communications are increasing.
While cellular communication systems increasingly are used to communicate non voice communication data to effectuate data communication services, use of cellular communication systems to effectuate telephonic voice services generally remains as the predominant usage of cellular communication systems.
Telephonic communications are typically effectuated in a cellular communication system through use of a mobile station, a portable radio transceiver, typically of dimensions permitting hand carriage by a user. Access to communicate telephonically through use of the mobile station is generally provided pursuant to a periodically-renewed subscription or pursuant to purchase of pre-paid access time.
Other types of radio communication systems are also sometimes used to communicate voice data. Trunked radio systems, for instance, are also sometimes used to communicate telephonically therethrough. While, historically, trunked radio systems have been used primarily for dispatch services, more recently, trunked radio systems have been utilized to provide cellular-like, telephonic communication services. At least one such network provides for public-access, telephonic services that utilize digital communication techniques. And, some mobile stations operable in this system provides for push-to-talk operation. In this operation of the mobile station, simplex communication of voice data is provided. The push-to-talk capability has attained a level of popularity as nearly-instantaneous voice communications are commenced upon start of the push-to-talk operation of the mobile station. In this system, the voice data is encoded, packetized, and routed to a correspondent node.
Conventional cellular communications, generally, do not provide for corresponding push-to-talk operation of a mobile station. As call set-up procedures are carried out in a conventional cellular communication system when a call is initiated by a mobile station, the calling procedures must be successfully completed before voice communications commence. The immediacy of voice communications is therefore unavailable in a conventional cellular communication system. The capability of starting conversation, albeit pursuant to a simplex communication scheme, is a preferred method of communications of certain users.
If a manner could be provided by which to provide apparent push-to-talk capability to a mobile station of a conventional cellular communication system, increased market acceptability of the mobile station would be provided, at least to users who prefer the capability of the push-to-talk operation to provide immediate communication capability.
It is in light of this background information related to communications in a radio communication system that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.